Apparatus for handling loose material



Dec.` 3l, 1929. r. E. PRAY APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LOOSE MATERIAL origial Fileduuly e, 1926 3 sheets-Sheet Dec. 31, 1929.A T. E. PRAY 1,742,009

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LOOSE MATERIAL Original Filed July 6, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 3l, 1929. T. E. vPRAY APPARATUS Fon HANDLING LoosE MATERIAL origingl Filed july 6. 192e s sheets-sheet a jfz van for ywm @muws Patented Dec. 31, 1929 `II'IOIVLFLS `E. PRAY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

PATENT Vormen AssIeNon To GOODMAN MANUEACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COREORATION OF ILLINOIS Appncarionfned July e, 1926, semi loose material of the class having a scraper which is controlled and reciprocably moved by draft ropes actuated from a portable power mechanism which has an inclinedloading chute or guide for the scraper extending longitudinally thereon. My invention has among other objects to provide anew and improved mechanism .for actuating the scraper, and especially its arrangement with respect to the loading chute.

The present application utilizes certain general features disclosed in an' application .tiled by `Charles E. Davis, Serial Number 352,413, liled January 19, 1920, but I have v further improved the details of construction of the actuating mechanism for my device whereby the height of the apparatus is kept to a minimum during both loading and travelling.` This result is obtained by providing an improved arrangement of winding drums for the draft ropes, and also by providing an adjustableloading chute for loading to various car heights encountered in the various mines, and movable to a horizontal position during transportation ofthe device from place to place in the mine.

These features are distinct advantages since it is necessary to especially build each machine togmeet the particular mining conditions to be encountered with the type of loader of this class `now inV operation. In mines where the coal `seam is low, itl is often necessary to brush the mine top or take bottom in the entries to allow the ordinary type of machine to travel and load at various places in the entry.` My improveddevice is adjustable to the various conditions in different mines, or in the same mine, to enable one standard machine to fit all mining `conditions and to reduce the costs and labor of brushing the top or bottom toa minimum..

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the device embodying my invention;

Figure 21s a sideelevation of .the device shown in Figure 1.; r

.AISIARATUS FOR HANDLING'LOOSE MATERIAL No. 120,618. "Renewed :rune s, 192e.`

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure et is a sectional view takenon line 1 4 of Figure 2;

` Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line of Figure 1, showing the pivotal mounting of the rocking chute;

Figure G is a sectional view taken on line 6 6 ofFigure 1 showingthe drive to the rope drums and the method of adjusting the rocking chute; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7 7 of Figure 6 showing the method of connecting the adjusting `device to the guide chute. i

Referring now to the details of the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, it will be seen that I have provided three rope drums, two drums carrying rope for reciprocably moving a scraper, and the third drum carrying a rope forV controlling and changing the course of the scrapers path at will, in the usual manner. This scraper may be of any well known form, as for instance of the V type open bottom construction used with scraping `devices of this character. The rope drums are carried on a portable controlling mechanism consisting cfa truck frame 1, provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced axles 2, 2, with supporting` wheels 3, 3, thereon, adaptable to be run on suitable tracks.

The truck is provided with a guide chute 4c extending longitudinally over the top thereof and attached to a rocking frame 5 which is pivoted on a transverse axis near the midpoint of said chute by pivot pins, 6, 6, on each side of the truck frame 1. The winding drums together` with a suitable motor are mounted on the rocking frame 5 beneath the guide chute. In this case the motor referred to is an electric driving motor 7 which is connected by a pinion 8 to a gear 9 on a longitudinally extending horizontal shaft 10. A bevel pinion 15 is keyed to the shaft 1() and drives va bevel gear 16 keyed to a vertical shaft 17. A spur gear 18 is also keyed to the shaft 17 and drives gears 19 and 2O fixed to vertical shafts 21and 22 respectively. The shafts 21 sie and 22 are located to the rear of the rear axles winding drum is freely mounted on each of the last mentioned shafts and means are provided whereby said winding drums may be driven by said shafts. A worm is keyed to the forward end of the longitudinal shaft 10 and drives a. worm gear 24 fxedly mounted on a vertical shaft 25. A winding drum is freely mounted on the shaft 25 and means are provided whereby said winding drum may be driven by said shaft.

The means for connecting or disconnecting thewinding drums to their respective shafts in this ease comprises a suitable` friction clutch of the expanding type such as is used in the aforementioned Davis application and in my companion case. The inner periphery of the winding drum acts as one face for the clutch while the other face consists of an internal expanding friction or brake band 31. The drum revolves with the shaft when the friction band has connection with the inner periphery of the drum and vice versa. A sliding collar 32 with a suitable arrangement of levers actuates said'clutch. Said clutches are independent of each other and are op erated from either longitudinal side of the power device at the rearward end thereof (not shown).

Of the three rope drums hereinbefore mene tioned, the right rear drum 33 comprises a head rope drum, the left rear drum 34 comprises a. control rope drum, and the forward drum 35 comprises a tail rope drum. Suitable means are provided for holding the control rope drum 34 against rotation. In the construction shown, I have provided a friction brake for that purpose. I have provided a brake wheel 36 integral with the winding drum 34 having thereon a brake band 37. One end of this brake band is connected to the fixed part 3S. The other end is connected to the end of a bell crank lever 39 pivoted to a projection 40. Suita le means (not shown) are provided for moving this bell crank lever so as to clamp and unclamp the brake band or apply or release the brake from either side of the rearward end of the guide chute.

The power device is propelled by the motor 7 through the pinion 8, gear 9, and a gear 41 free to rotate on a shaft 42. A jaw clutch 43 is provided to connect the gear 41 with the shaft 42. A bevel pinion 44 is keyed to the shaft 42 and has connection with abevel. gear 45 fixed to a shaft 46. Said shaft is mounted on the same axis on which the frame 5 rocks so the bevel pinion 44 will mesh with the bevel gear 45 in all positions of the rocking frame 5. A sprocket 47 is keyed to the shaft 46. A drive chain 48 connects the sprocket 47 with a sprocket 49 which is keyed tothe forward truck axle 2 and which drives the 4forward truck wheels. The rear truck wheels are driven from the forward wheels by sprocket 50, drive chain 51 and sprocket 52.

It will here be seen that the pivotal mounting of the rocking frame 5 allows the guide chute to be adjusted to the different car heights encountered when in loading position and allows the guide chute to be brought to a horizontal position when moving from place to place. This guide or loading chute is adjusted by a screw device 54 which controls the rocking of the frame 5. This screw device comprises a vertical screw 55 fitting Vin a threaded sleeve 56 and fixed in a piece 57 at its upper end. Said piece is fixed againstl rotation in a socket 58 by a pivot pin 59. The sleeve 56 is moutned in a stationarv arm 60 integral with the frame of the truck 1 and is free to rotate in said arm. A worm gear 61 is keyed to the upper end of the sleeve 56. A housing 62 integral with the arm 60 fits over this worm gear 61 and prevents vertical movement of the worm gear 61 and sleeve 56. A worm 63 rotates the worm gear 61 and is mounted on a shaft 64 which is held in the housing 62 by suitable bearings. The shaft 64 is rotated by a hand crank 65. Rotation of the crank 65 in one direction causes rotation of the sleeve 56 which raises the screw 55 and rocks the frame 5 on the pins 6 6 raising the rear of the guide chute and vice versa. It will be seen that the socket 58 is mounted to the guide chute 4 and is pivoted to the vertical screw 55 by the pivot pin 59. It may also be seen that this connection is beneath the extension arm 53 and this does not interfere Vwith the scraper when it is pulled up along the guide chute.

Therefore when the device is being transported the guide chute 4 is brought to a horizontal position by rotation of the crank G5. A forward end of the chute 4L is slid back o n the chute. A rearward end of the chute 4h is folded down on the body and the extension arm 53 is moved out of the way. This decreases both the length and height of the power device for travelling and makes it possible to easily negotiate sharp curves and travel in low coal without removing props, brushing top or bottom or cutting away the -sides of the mine entries.

Then the device is in operation the guide chute is brought to an inclined position. The rearward end of the chute 4b is folded up and the chute is adjusted so the rearward end of the chute just clears the mine car or receptacle into which the material is to be loaded and the forward end of the chute 4a is placed in position so that it is in contact with the ground and the forward end ofthe guide chute so the scraper may run up the chute with its load and discharge its load into said mine car or receptacle.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention it will be understood that the construction or arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the specilic details shown,` exceptingin so tar as they may be dei'ined in the appended claims.

I claim as my'invention:

l. In a device for handling loose material, a wheeled fra-me, a loading chute extending longitudinally over said frame and pivotally mounted thereon to rock on a transverse axis, power devices carried beneath said chute', and winding devices also carried beneath said chute and operatively connected with said power devices.

2. In combination with a device for han dling loose material, a portable power device, a loading chute extending longitudinally over said power device and mounted for rocking movement on an axis transversely of the same, winding devices carried beneath and movable with said loading chute, a screw de vice to control the rocking of said frame, and means for operating said device.

3. In combination with a device for handling loose material, including a frame with supporting wheels, a motor, an adjustable loading chute extending over said motor, a scraper, draft and control means Jfor said scraper, and winding devices for said draft and control means comprisingr a plurality of rope drums beneath and havingtheir aXes substantially perpendicular to said chute, one oit said drums being disposed rearwardly of the rear wheels oit said Vframe and another ot said drums being disposed forwardly of said trame.

4, In combination with a device for handling loose material, including a frame with supporting wheels, a motor, an adjustable loading chute extending over said motor, a scraper, draft and control means for said scraper, and winding devices for said draft andicontrol means comprising a plurality of` rope drums beneath and having their axes substantially perpendicular to said chute, one of said drums being disposed rearwardly of the rear wheels of said frame and another of said drums being disposed forwardly of taidtrame, all oi said drums being driven from a common shaft extending longitudinally ot said chute.

5. in a device for handling loose material, a wheeled traine, a loading chute extending longitudinally over said frame and pivotally mounted thereon to rock on a transverse axis, a motor carried beneath said chute between the forward and rearward wheels of said traine, and winding devices also carried beneath said chute and operatively connected with said motor.

G. In a device for handling loose material, a wheeled trame, a loading chute extending longitudinally over said frame and pivotally mounted thereon to rock on a transverse axis,

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ot Illinois, this 30th day of June, A. D. 1926.

THOliIAS E. PRAY. 

